Salsa, the Spanish word for sauce, is currently the best selling condiment in the U.S., even topping the sales of ketchup. One reason for the popularity of fresh salsa is the health aspect of it. If you are in the market for a healthy dipping sauce, you can’t go wrong with authentic Mexican salsa.
What Is Salsa?
There are many different types of salsa, but the very first version can be traced back to the Incas, Myans and Aztecs. The classic mild salsa dip that we are currently accustomed to buying was first manufactured in 1952. The basic ingredients include tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, cilantro leaves, lime juice and other spices.
Salsa Nutrition
Fresh salsa calories are significantly less than other dipping sauces. Although other healthy choices are available, like the Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips that have 67% less calories and almost 90% less fat than the traditional sour cream based sauces used for dipping, salsa is an even healthier choice. Authentic Mexican salsa has just 70 calories, with no fat or cholesterol and 4g of fiber. This makes it a great choice for snacking, dipping and using in recipes.
How to Can Homemade Salsa
Canning fresh salsa at home is the best way to ensure that you are getting the best ingredients without any extras. This helps keep the calories and sodium in check. It all starts with choosing the right tomatoes. Picking your own is the best way to go. Choose tomatoes that are thick with low water content. Roma, Beefsteak, Lemon Boy and Better Boy are all good choices for this reason.
To begin the canning process, remove the skin and water content from the tomatoes so all that remains is the diced tomatoes. You’ll need to use sanitized canning jars and lids. Simmer the tomatoes, add the onions, peppers and other veggies you wish to add. some people like to add corn and other various vegetables to enhance the taste and bulk of the fresh salsa recipe. Then either add your own choice of seasonings or add a seasoning packet to perfect the flavor.
Once all the flavors are enhanced by simmering the mixture, you can fills the jars with the salsa and boil the jars. From there they can be stored for future use, frozen or passed along as gifts to family and friends.
Using the right ingredients, it’s easy to make your own homemade authentic Mexican salsa. The finished recipe can be used to dip nacho chips and vegetables, or to top grilled chicken or fish filets.
